The survey, conducted online by Poll on behalf of CareerBuilder, indicates "sustained job growth" through the end of the year, with 47% of U.S. employers surveyed reporting that they planned to add full-time, permanent employees over the next six months, and 27% plan to hire part-time employees. One-third also plan to bring on temporary or contract workers.

Each figure is up two to three percentage points over last year. The survey included a "representative sample of 2,188 hiring managers and human resource professionals across industries and company sizes."

"The results of this year’s survey are indicative of a more assured employer population compared to 2013 when companies were, to some extent, irresolute when it came to adding permanent staff,” said Matt Ferguson, CEO of CareerBuilder. “Back then, employers anticipated a spike in temporary employment in the second half of the year while permanent employment was to remain flat."

59% of Information Technology employers plan to hire full-time, permanent employees, up eight percentage points from this time last year.

Small business hiring is showing timid signs of growth. Thirty-nine percent of employers with 500 employees or less are planning to add full-time, permanent positions; 35% of employers with with 250 or fewer employees will be adding headcount. Each is up one to two percent since this time last year, with an unchanged 24% of employers with 50 or fewer employees planning to bring on additional staff.

Regionally, the Northeast and South show the greatest promise for hiring July through December.

A few stronger signals can be found within specific industries. Information Technology, Financial Services, Hospitality, Healthcare, and Manufacturing are all projected to outpace national permanent hiring averages, with 54 to 59% of employers in each industry planning to add permanent, full-time employees throughout the remainder of 2014.

"The 2014 midyear forecast shows employers are expecting forward movement in all categories of hiring. Jobs will also be added in a variety of areas, heavily favoring job seekers with expertise in technology, financial operations, communications and other specialized fields.”

Which "specialized fields" are expected to see the greatest gains? Jobs associated with social media, mobile technology, and cloud technology top the list, with health and wellness-related positions, data management, content strategy, and financial regulation jobs also gaining momentum.